Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-11-17

''cleared and inhabited,n when the
nearest and only settlement was at
Marietta. Howe, in his History Of
Ohio,n gives an account Of the colony:
"rhe glowing representations made
by the agents OF the company were
well-timed for their enterprise. II was
about the beginning of the French
Revolution and the 'fiattering delusion'
took strong hold. The terms to in
duce emigration were as follows: The
company proposed to take the emigrant
to their lands and pay the cost and the
latter bound himselfto work three years
for the company, for which he was to
receive fifty acres, house and cow.
Printed deeds. executed in Paris with
all due formallty, were given to some
Of the purchasers by Playfair and De
Saison, two of the agents, an English
man and Frenchman. About five
hundred Frenchmen left their native
country, landed mostly at Alexandria
and made their way to the promised
land.' They were persons ill-fitted for
such an enterprise. Among them were
not few carvers and silders To his
Majesty, coach and peruke makers,
feissurs and other artistes about equal
ly well fitted for a backwo0ds life, with
only ten or twelve farmers aud labor
ers. On the map was shown the first
town q. e. "Premiere Ville," lying
opposite the mouth of the Kauawha.
1t was laid out by the Ohio Company
under the name of "Fair Haven;n but
as the ground there is low and liable to
overflow, Gallipolis was located four
miles below upon q high band, ten feet
above the food of 1882. This location
was made just before the arrival of the
French. Col. Rufus Putnam sent Maj.
Burnham with about forty men for
that purpose, who made the clearing
and erected block houses and cabins.
The Scioto Company contracted with
Putnam to erect these buildings and
furnish the settles with provisions; tut
failed of payment, by which he lost a
large amount.
But few of the original settlers re-
manned at Galipolis after 1.-THE French
Grant was given them by Congress.
The Gallipolitans proposed to the Ohio
Company at Marietta to sell them the
spot where Gallipolis was and is situat-
ed, to be paid.in proportion to what was
improved and the proposition was ac-
cepted. Breckenridge, in his "Recol-
lections,n gives some "reminiscences of
Gallipolis in 1895, when he was boy
of nine years of age. He relates the
story of his boyhood spent in this
strange settlement in style of charming
simplicity and humor and tolls of his
return, twelve years later, in 1906, in a
pathetic strain.
"When the boat landed, ran up the
bank and looked around; but alas, how
changed. The Americans had taken
the town in hand and no trace of in
tiquity, that Is, of twelve years ago,
remained. My heart
sickened; the picture which my imagi-
nation had drawn, the scenes which
my memory loved to cherish were
blotted out and obliterated. A volume
"Reminiscences seemed to be annihi-
lated in an instant. took a hasty
glance at the new town as returned to
the boat. / hastened my
pace, and with sorrow, once more
pushed into the stream.
THE FIRST ASSEMBLY.
In 1887, as already noted, Congress
Government Of the Northwest Terrific
ry, and commenced the exercise of
colonial jurisdiction over the territory.
According to the provisions of this
ordinance, q Governor, Secretary and
three judges were appointed by the
President, to perform In addition to
their judicial and executive functions,
the partial legislative business of adopt
ing laws from the codes of the original
States. This first grade of colonial
government was to continue until the
territory contained 5000 free male in
haditants of full age, when General
Assembly, consisting of a House of Rep
resentatives elected by the people and,
legislative Council appointed by Con-
gress, from nominations made by the
place of the imperfect legislation of the
Governor and Judges. BY this Gener-
al Assembly q delegate was to be chos-
en- to represent the territory in the Ma
tional Legislature. The manner of or
ganizing this first general assembly was
given in the last chapter.
The representatives chosen by the
people met at Cincinnati, on the 4th of
February, 1899, as required by Gov. st.
Clair's proclamation and after due delib-
Grafton, reported to the Governor the
names of the legislative council. The.
Governor transmitted the names to the
Secretary of State of Washington, and
in due time, by and with the consent Of
the Senate, the President appointed
Jacob Burnet and James Findlay, of
Cincinnati; Henry Vanderburgh, of
Vincenness; Robert Olive, of Marietta,
and David Vance, Of Vanceville, to
bea members of tie Legislative council.
Of tie Territor, of the Uniled States,
Northwest of the River Ohio" which
was announced by the proclamation
of the Governor. In choosing mem
3bers Of the first territorial legislative,
the people, in almost every instance,
selected the best and strongest men in
their respective counties; party infiu-
ence was scarcely felt. Says Judge
Burnet, "no legislature has been chos-
en-, under the State government, which
contained larger proportion of aged,
intelligent men, than were found in
that body. Many of them, it is true
were unacquainted with the forms and
practical duties Of legislation, but they
were estrong-minded, sensible men, ac-
quainted with the condition and wants
of the country, and could form correct
opinions of the operation of any meas
lure proposed for their considerations
We are Indebted to Judge Burnetis
Notes. for an account of the person
mel of the first General Assembly, and
as many of them were afterwards con-
scerned in the management of the State